The last leg of the Cornish Coastal Footpath

Although we had walked stretches of the Cornish Coastal Footpath over the years, it was actually on 7th January 2010 that I recorded in my blog that we'd decided to make completion of the entire route, all 330 miles of it, an objective. We've duly recorded what we've done on a map, and through my blog, and, now, after 13 years, we finally managed to get around to walking the final leg. We think it's quite an achievement for two septuagenarians and I'll commemorate it with more photographs than usual.

The last leg began and ended in the car park of the Rectory Tea Rooms in Morwenstow, It was just over 5 miles, with half of it along the coast. The elevation profile gives a good idea of how up and downy the coastal stretch was, but it wasn't as bad as we were expecting. The midpoint of the walk, and where we turned inland, Marsland Beach, marks the border between Cornwall and Devon.

The footpath drops from the starting point through the graveyard of Church of St Morwenna and St John the Baptist. We'll visit this at the end of our walk.

The path through the woods was a delight as we walked between the bluebells and wild garlic, the pungency of the latter not to everybody's taste.

The reverse view was equally delightful. It's a great time of year for woodland flowers.

The characteristic pink of Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima) contrasts with the blue sea.

Looking up the coast towards Devon. Hartland Point is the furthest promontory. And the route is not as flat as it might look. This is the land of hanging valleys with steep sides. Hanging valleys mean lots of ups and downs.

The gorse was at peak flower, with a heady smell of pineapple.

More of the coastline.

If you look carefully at the horizon, you might just be able to make out Lundy Island.

Looking back on the way we came.

And looking forward to where we are going, dropping down to Littermouth and then going up those rather infamous steps, recently renewed to provide a safer route.

But before we tackled the steps..............

......we stopped for a cup of tea with a view.

Suitably refreshed, we ascended the staircase and all 191 of the steps. Yes, we were sad enough to count them. And, as we couldn't agree on the total, I've quoted mine.

At the top (and we weren't particularly puffed), we looked across to Marsland Cliff, comforted by the knowledge that we wouldn't have to climb this one. All we had to do was to drop down to Marsland Mouth, just over the edge, and then turn inland.

Flowing down to Marsland Mouth is Marsland Water and this is the border between Cornwall (right) and Devon (left).  And crossing from one county to the other marked our completion of the entire Cornish Coastal Footpath.

We celebrated our achievement in the most appropriate way possible - with a scone. Cream first in Devon.

Jam first in Cornwall. Between you and me, I prefer the Devon way as I regard the cream as a substitute for butter. Makes sense to me but it's a differentiation that is fiercely defended.

The shaded walk up from the beach through the Marsland Nature Reserve - a gift to the nation by one of the heirs of the Cadbury's chocolate fortunes. When the foliage is fully out, this must be a very attractive green tunnel.

Not that way, but this way or that way. We chose this way and headed around Cornakey Farm.

In July 1842 the Caledonia was bound for Gloucester having left Falmouth with a cargo of wheat. It floundered in heavy seas and was wrecked off Morwenstow. of Scottish snow which stranded near Morwenstow. The figurehead was formerly in the churchyard as a memorial to the wrecked crew buried there, but since 2008 has been restored and placed in the church for safekeeping, with a replica where the figurehead once stood. The vicar at the time of the wreck was Rev. R. S. Hawker

In July 1842 the Caledonia was bound for Gloucester having left Falmouth with a cargo of wheat. It floundered in heavy seas and was wrecked off Morwenstow. of Scottish snow which stranded near Morwenstow. The figurehead was formerly in the churchyard as a memorial to the wrecked crew buried there, but since 2008 has been restored and placed in the church for safekeeping, with a replica where the figurehead once stood. The vicar at the time of the wreck was Rev. R. S. Hawker

Of Norman origin (though there must have been an earlier church here), although restored in Victorian times, St Morwenna and St John the Baptist retains a fair amount of Norman work, notably in the porch and the north arcade.  And most famously, for 40 years from 1834, it had as its vicar the remarkable Robert Stephen Hawker. A poet and free spirit, who was responsible for much of the restoration of the church and who chose to bury shipwrecked sailors, of whom there were many in these dangerous seas, in his churchyard rather than, as was the custom at that time, on the shore where they were washed up.

 The doorway to the porch is a really fine example of Norman architecture. It includes zigzag carving and flowers carved in heavy relief.

A sober reminder to all who pass under the sundial and into the church = Life is like a shadow. 

The carved oak pew ends date from the mid 1500s and are in incredibly good condition.

Hooray, the Tea Rooms were still open! What better way to end a walk?  That's it done. Now we can go back and walk again the stretches that we really liked.